Foueths to samuel holmes



(No ModeL) I C. M. BLDWN GAR GOUPLING.

N0. 386,466. Patented Peb. 16, 1886. Y

Wr/Leases, 4 Jwerdfor:

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER M. BALDWIN, or BRoNsoN, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR OE THREE- EoURTHS rro SAMUEL HOLMES, MARY E. RISSELL, AND CHARLES H.

WARREN, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336.468, dated February 16,1886.

Application filed August 10, 1885. Serial No. 174,055.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER M. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bronson, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coupling cars auto matically by means of a hook working in a zo slot through the draw-head. The hook is held down by a spring. The uncoupling is effected by a lever-rod across the end of the car, in

the center of which is a loop, to which a chain is attached connecting with the hook. The

rod is bent round the sides of the car so as to form a lever at either side, to one of which is attached an upright rod reaching a little above t-he top of the car, being bent at the top so as to form a foot-rest by which the brakeman, by

2o a pressure of the foot, can uncouple from the top of the car.

The object of my improvements is not only the saving of time in handling trains on railroads, but also the lessening of danger to op` erativcs by obviating the necessity of going between the cars to couple or uncouple. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents the end of a car to which 3o a draw-head is attached; also, alever-rod across end of car, and an upright rod and chain from hook to lever-rod. Fig. 2 represents sectional view of draw-head, showing position ot' hook, spring, and link when in operation.

The several parts are referred to by letters. The draw-head A has cut through it a slot,

B, into which is placed a hook, C, through which, opposite the hook end, passes a bolt, D.

The point of the hook C rests on the convex 4o surface E in the bottom of the mouth of the draw-head A. The bolt D passes through the draw-head A and hook C, below the line of draft, thereby throwing a large percentage oi' draft onto point of hook G, relieving the bolt .i 5 D of much of the strain of draft,which makes a much stronger coupling than the pin and link now in general use. lVhen making a coupling, the link passes into the mouth of the (No model.)

draw-head, raising the hook C as it enters. When the link F has passed the point of the 5o hook C, the spring G instantly presses down the hook C, when the link F is secured and the coupling made as shown in Fig. 1 of drawings. The link F can be held in a horizontal position by pushing it into the mouth of the draw-head A as far as possible,which positionV it will be placed in when coupling cars of the same height, or nearly so. When there is considerable difference in height, the link F will be placed in the higher draw-head and drawn 6o out as far as the point of the hook C will permit, whichwill allow the outer end of the link F to drop down at an angle of about thirty degrees, when the coupling can be made as stated above. A

a a is the leverrod across the end of the car; b b, the levers bent around the sides of the car; c, the upright rod bent at top to forni a foot-rest, d; e, loop at center of lever-rod a ct,- f, chain fastened to loop e in rod a a and 7c hook C immediately over the hook end.

To uncouple, the operator pulls down the lever b at side of car, which causes the chain f, attached to the loop e, to raise the hook C in the slot B,which releases the link F, allowing it to pass out of the mouth of the d raw-head A.

It will be seen that by pivoting the inner rear end of the hook C in the lower rear portion of the slot B at D, and forming the curved or convex block E on the lower inner side of 8o the mouth of the drawhead, upon and against which the point of the hook rests, and which serves to lift the operative end of the hook above the horizontal plane of the pivotal pin D of the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of 85 the drawings, the pivot-bolt D is relieved of a great portion of the strain, the line of draft bei ng by this arrangement thrown largely upon the operative end or upper outer portion of the hook C, and as the outer operative end 9o of the hook above the plane of the pivotal point rests and bears against the convex block E, the said block serves to sustain a portion of the draft or stra-in, this being especially the case where the link F is inclined downward at its free outer end to enable it to enter the mouth of a draw-head below the level of the one in which the link is at the ti1ne secured, which is frequently the oase.

I am aware that in oar-couplings as heretofore constructed a spring-actuated hook pivoted in a vertical slot in the draw-head, and provided with xneans for operating it from the top or sides of the car is old, and I do not therefore claim such Construction broadly; but

What claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

As an improvement in car-couplings, the combination, with the draw-head having the vertical slot and formed with the convex block, arranged as described, of the spring-actuated hook pivotally secured in the lower rear part of the said slot below the line of draft, and

having its point resting against the said oon- Vex block above the line of draft, the trip-rod secured in bearings across the front of the car,- provided with the central doubleerank portion, and having its ends bent at right angles to form lever-arms, the chain connecting the double crank of the said trip-rod to the upper front end of the hook in the draw-head, and the foot-rod pivoted at its lower end to one of the lever-arms ofthe top rod, and adapted 'to be operated by the foot of the operator from the top of the oar, all constructed, combined, 3o

and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and set forth. I CHESTER M. BALDWIN. \Vitn esses:

VINCENT BOWMAN7 PERRY DUNN. 

